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Mashudu Mambo, Sunday News Reporter
THE Ministry of Women Affairs, Gender and Community Development on Friday hosted the provincial food fair where calls were made to promote food security through the use of indigenous dried vegetables, fruits and cereals.
The food fair was held at Bulawayo Polytechnic’s School of Hospitality and Tourism under the theme, “Food security through local dried fruits, cereals and vegetables, value addition — my empowerment.”
The guest of honour at the event Minister of State for Provincial Affairs, Bulawayo Metropolitan Province Cde Nomthandazo Eunice Moyo said the theme was important as it dove-tails into Zim-Asset clusters.
In a speech read on her behalf by the director in her office Ms Sichelesile Ncube, Cde Moyo said: “There is a need for scaling up on value addition to agro-products by small holder farmers to fulfil the Zim Asset clusters 1 and 4 which are food security and nutrition cluster and value addition and beneficiation clusters respectively.”
“The thrust of these food fairs is on the role played by women and communities towards production, processing, preservation and preparations of food vegetables, cereals and fruits,” said Cde Moyo.
“This year because of the clarion call through Zim Asset on food security and nutrition we intend to have community based fairs. These will be precursors to the Agricultural Show where women and youth sell their value added products.”
Cde Moyo said the drive for food processing was aimed at creating the concept of local production, local processing and local marketing for local consumption and exportation. She said locally prepared food reduces importation of genetically modified foods which were expensive and do not address the nutritional value of individuals.
The managing director and founder of the Nature’s Healthy Kitchen (NAHEKI) Ms Patience Phiri echoed the same sentiments adding that the programme was a good platform for women to show their value addition skills and different recipes in preparation of their meals.
The Provincial Food Fair is held annually on 1 July by all 10 provinces but due to some challenges this year it was held in Bulawayo a week later.
The provincial co-ordinator for community development, Mrs Dominica Muringi, said the aim was to incorporate all the Zimbabwean women in Government programmes that uplift them.
The provincial development officer, Mr Ntando Mhlanga, said they taught women food processing and packaging in their training centres like Jamaica Inn and Roger Howman.
Bongani Ndlovu